This book is one of the more widely distributed works of Ibn 'Ata'illah and serves as an ethical guide to those seeking God. It is a collection of short spiritual sayings each containing profound meaning driven from the Qur'an and Sunnah, and deals with issues related to tawhid, ethics and day-to-day conduct.

Short biographies of the most influential Muslims in history and today. A must-have book.

This is a book of aphorisms written by Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari (d. 1309), here called Ibn Atallah, the third sheikh of the Shadhili Sufi order. He was born and grew up in Alexandria, then lived and died in Cairo. Ibn Atallah is well known for compressing large thoughts into a small space. The shape of the thought is smooth, small, dense, and hard. He chose the form of aphorisms to express himself because he wanted above all to spread the word of what he believed in, and indeed, many of these statements could be likened to a pebble that one might carry in one's pocket.

Despite frequent and extensive publications on Islam, very few Americans, indeed very few non-Muslims, truly understand the faith or the more than one billion adherents who live it. This set presents the diversity and richness of Islam, filling in the blanks and expanding our knowledge and understanding. Portraying Muslims in all their humanity and diversity balances the images that have bombarded society and presents the reader with a fuller and more accurate picture of the Islamic faith and what it means to live as a Muslim—in Muslim communities, and as part of a broader tapestry of pluralism in the nations of the world. What does it mean to share Muslim concerns? To experience Muslim spirituality? What is the difference between Sunni and Shiite sects? Why do Muslims pray so frequently? What is the reality of Muslim marriage and gender relations? What is the meaning of jihad and martyrdom to a practicing Muslim? What role do the arts and humanities play in modern Muslim life? How are Islamic children raised? These questions and others are answered in these volumes, which bring together Muslim voices from around the world, including men and women, scholars and laypersons, fundamentalists and progressives, and others from various cultural, political, and Islamic backgrounds. Personal experiences and poetry are included to illustrate the many different expressions of Islam.